One of the Boys
by Rainbooks
Summary: Bella had only ever been one of the boys. She had always been in love with her bossy best friend, but it doesn't seem like she's his type. However, if Edward wants a girl who giggles and brushes her hair then so be it. After spending a summer with her cousin Alice, Bella will come back for her senior year so giggly that he will just have to love her back. based on Katy Perry's song


One of the Boys

Rainbooks

I pulled up in front of Mike's place a few minutes after ten. With the engine off, the street was dark and quiet; I could hear crickets chirp outside the truck.

I leaned over into the passenger seat and tried to peer inside Mike's upstairs window. The lights were on but the window was closed and I couldn't see him. I reached over and hit the horn twice. He didn't show up at the window, but I thought that maybe he'd figured it was me and was on his way downstairs.

Sitting up straight, I flipped down my visor and checked my reflection, half of my face lit by the automatic little lights. I looked exhausted — my eyelids drooped and the rings underneath them were starting to look like bruises. Hopefully, they'd go away soon; after the party that night, I had no plans for the rest of the summer except for trying to beat Emmett's fourteen hour sleep record. Grimacing, I pulled the bill of my baseball cap over my eyes and shut the visor closed.

I looked back into Mike's window and the light was still on. I sighed. I checked over my shoulder and found the street empty. Shrugging, I watched the window again and leaned on the horn.

After about five seconds of the horn sounding nonstop, Mike popped up at his window. Before I could stop however, a neighbor's dog also started barking, an upstairs light in the house across the street flickered on, someone shouted through an open window, and Mike's mother threw open the front door and stood there with her arms folded in a robe.

I rolled down the passenger's side window, slowly cranking the lever until it couldn't go down any further. "Hey, Mrs. Newton!" I called. "Happy birthday!"

I couldn't see see her expression, backlit by the foyer light, but she didn't seem too impressed that I remembered. Mike came up behind her and kissed her on the head before jogging out to my truck.

"Hey," I said, unlocking the door.

Mike got in the passenger seat, breathless. "Why didn't you just text me you were here?" he asked.

"My phone's dead." I shrugged and started the engine. The radio came on with it. Mike reached over and turned it down.

"Then why didn't you come up to the door and knock?"

I made a face. "Your mom doesn't like me very much." I made a U-turn and started toward the freeway.

Mike laughed. "I'm pretty sure that might have been the worst possible thing you could have done to remedy that."

I rolled my eyes and turned the radio back up.

The party was at Emmett's who lived about seven minutes from Mike, just off the freeway by the high school. When we pulled up to the house, only the kitchen window was lit and it was quiet out. The only indication that the party was going on at all was the fact that there was nowhere to park. I would have had to park on the street over anyway, but I didn't have a choice this time. The house was packed.

Nick Haney and Will Moran from the football team stood talking in the driveway, drinking from solo cups. They raised them up when they saw me and Mike walking up. "Suh-wan! New-tan!" Will called.

Mike clasped their hands and gave them each manly, one-armed hugs. I slipped Nick's drink out of his hand and took a sip. Vodka and something else. I gave it back. "How are the festivities going on in there?" Mike asked.

"It's _sick_," said Nick. "You know McCarty."

I raised my eyebrows knowingly. If I knew anything, I knew Emmett, and I knew how his parties usually went. In fact, I figured that a few of my dad's guys would probably be there to break everything up within the next two hours. That was why I always had to park on the next street. If any of the deputies spotted my truck, they'd tell my dad in a heartbeat.

"Yeah, he actually asked us to stand out here to let everyone know to keep things quiet in the McCarty house," said Will. "You know, keep the windows closed and don't make too much of a _ruckus._ Keep the party going for as long as possible before Swan's pop shows up."

I ignored that. "Who's here?" I asked.

"Don't worry, girl!" Will said. "Cullen got here twenty minutes ago."

I shot Will a look and he and Nick laughed. Mike put an arm around my shoulder. "Alright, let's go inside before you bite someone, Belly," he said, leading me away. I shrugged his arm off.

"Shut the door behind you!" Nick called after us.

The door was unlocked, and as soon as we opened it, we were hit with a wave of body heat, the smell of beer and sweat, and old-school rap music. We filed in and shut the door. It was dark and crammed. Mike smiled at me. "Isn't this great?" he shouted.

I rolled my eyes and started for the kitchen. Mike put a hand on my wrist and followed after me. He tried to grab my hand but I smacked it away.

Leaning on a counter, Jacob smirked at me from behind a can of cheap beer. "I've been looking for you," he said loud enough for me to hear. He reached over and pushed the cap further down my head. "I've been guarding the beer so there'd be enough when you got here."

"It doesn't matter," I said, lifting up the bill of the cap so I could see him. "I'm driving." Raising his eyebrows, Jacob reached behind him and slid over a coke can. I took it from him.

"Were you looking for me, too, Jakey?" Mike asked. "I haven't seen you seen you since this afternoon, and I missed you." He grabbed Jake's face and kissed him on the forehead.

Jacob pushed him away. "Get out of here, Newton," he said, smiling. He punched him lightly on the shoulder. "If you didn't grow so big this year, I'd kick your ass."

Mike flexed his arms for us. "Well, you know, my mom wasn't lying when she told me eating all my vegetables would make me big and strong." He went deeper into the kitchen to find a beer.

"How long have you been here?" I asked, leaning on the counter next to Jake.

"Since before the party. Emmett gave Paul cash to buy all the booze and I drove down with him. But he should have asked Leah to do it. She knows her shit; Paul got all the cheap stuff." I downed the rest of my soda and burped. "Nice," said Jake.

"How'd Emmett pay for all this?" I asked.

Jacob laughed. "He used his graduation money."

"Ouch."

"Yeah," Jacob said. "Almost all of it, too. His parents are going to freak out. The summer just started."

I sighed. "What a dumb ass."

"Well, it is Emmett." Jacob dripped what was left of his beer onto his tongue. "Hey!" he said. "How did you do on your pre calc final?" My lips turned up at the corners without my thinking about it. "Wow! A smile! You must have done pretty good."

"I think I did alright," I said, trying to suppress it. "I'm pretty sure I passed, at least."

"That's great! So, no summer school, right?" I shook my head. "Just leave me and Mike to rot in there, I guess."

"Maybe you should have studied with Edward too," I said primly.

Jacob nodded, allowing that. "Did he really help?" he asked.

"Yeah."

He scoffed. "Fucking nerd." I smiled again, and elbowed Jake in the arm.

"There you are!" Emmett pushed through a group of people and lurched forward. He pulled me into a tight hug that I didn't return but I didn't try to fend off. I knew there was no stopping him even though he was holding Mike's hand and only had one free arm. "Come here!" he said, letting me go. "All of you: come on!"

He squirmed through the crowd toward the living room, pulling Mike with him. Mike grabbed Jacob's hand and Jake held out his free one to me expectantly. I rolled my eyes and took it just in time to be yanked after the boys like the tail end of snake.

Emmett led us through the hallway, giving high fives and fist bumps the whole way. He stopped at his bedroom door. "Is there someone in there?" he asked someone I couldn't see. They must have said yes because Emmett banged on the door. "Get the fuck out!" he shouted.

I let go of Jacob's hand and pushed my way closer to the door. Standing against the wall where I had planned to stand was Edward, in a plain white shirt and black jeans. He smiled at me crookedly, reaching out to touch the baseball cap. "That's mine," he said, so softly I didn't really hear him. I had read his lips.

Blushing, I smirked and knocked his hand away. "Not the fuck anymore."

The door opened. Jessica and Tyler fell out of the room, giggling. Emmett furrowed his eyebrows. "Not in my fucking room, man!" he said. "Come on, guys, I want to talk to you." He pushed us into the room.

"Okay, it definitely smells like sex in here," Jacob said, sitting down on the computer chair.

I hopped onto Emmett's unmade, twin size bed despite what had most likely just happened there. "How would you know, Jake?" I asked.

"Oooooh," Mike crooned. He sunk onto the floor with his legs crossed. Edward sat on the edge of my bed by my feet.

"Well, for starters: it's what Newton's mom's room smelled like after I left it last night."

Mike gasped. "I'm going to tell her you said that."

Emmett shut the door behind him, making it much quieter in the room. "Alright, all of you shut up and come here." We all gave him lazy looks. Emmett pouted and waved us over. "Come'ere!" I sighed but rolled off of the bed. We crowded around him. "Closer," he said, so we inched forward. He put an arm around Edward and Mike. "Bells; Jake," he whispered, so we came even closer and we were in a tight circle. Mike put and arm over me, and Jacob shrugged and put his arms around both Edward and myself. Edward and I shared a look.

"I wanted to talk you guys," Emmett said, his voice breaking at the end. He stopped there, shut his eyes tightly, and took a deep breath.

"You guys stink," I murmured, wrinkling my nose. Emmett shushed me, blowing his beer breath into my face.

He opened his eyes. "I wanted to talk to you," he said again. "Tell you 'thank you.' And 'I love you.'"

I groaned loudly and tried to break out of the circle. Mike held me fast. "No!" he hissed. "This is a beautiful moment, and you will not ruin it for me, Belly." I pulled a face at him.

"I just," Emmett went on, shaking his head. "I really appreciate all that you four have done for me. I was the new kid and no one wanted to talk to me — and you just — you took me in. You were my family."

Edward was smirking. "Em, that was five years ago."

"Yeah, bud, don't mention it," said Jacob.

Mike shushed them, then nodded for Emmett to continue. "I just wish I was a year younger so I could have spent my senior you with you guys. I should have tried harder to flunk!" He scrunched up his face like he was going to cry.

"No!" Edward and I said.

"Naw, man," said Mike.

"Don't say that, bud."

Emmett relaxed his face and sniffled, nodding. "No, you're right. I'm just really going to miss you guys. You're my best friends. Other than Rosalie 'cause you know — she sucks my dick."

Edward grimaced. "Dude," he said.

"And she has nicer boobs. No offense, Bells."

I shrugged. "Come on, man!" Edward said.

"I'm sorry, Edward, but your sister's hot! And she gives _crazy _head."

Edward pulled out of the circle. "Okay, this is done," he said. He grabbed the beer he'd set on the dresser.

Jacob let go and I was able to slide away from Mike before he threw his other arm around Emmett to hug him. They looked like giant, hugging teddy bears, gripping onto each other like that. "I love you, too, man!" Mike said. They pat each other's back and pulled apart.

"Hey, you look after my football team, squirt," Emmett said. "I believe in you."

"Well, I learned from the best." They looked at each other like love sick puppies.

"Gag me," I said.

"Aw, come'ere, Bells," Emmett said. I made a face as he pulled me in for a hug. "Thanks for everything," he murmured in my ear. "I'm gonna miss you so much."

"You'll be three and a half hours away," I said in response. "If you're not back for weekends, I'll see you for your Thanksgiving break which will be…two months after summer ends."

"I love you, Bella."

"And we have the whole summer!"

"Bella!" Emmett said pointedly, pulling me back by my shoulders. "I love you."

I sighed. "I love you, too," I mumbled.

Emmett grinned and leaned down to smack a kiss to my lips — his mouth wet and hot. He smiled at me again and let me go. I blinked in surprise as he went over to Edward and Jacob to give them their own personal hugs and messages. I sat back onto the bed, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.

"Okay!" Emmett boomed, clapping his hands. "Back to the party. Beer pong — you and me, Mikey?"

"Hell yeah!" Mike said. "Wait!" We all looked at him. He pointed up at a corner of the room. "It's a spiderweb." He smiled at me.

I frowned. "_Don't kill it!_" Jacob shrilled, and although it was in a mocking voice, it was exactly what I was going to say. I stuck my tongue out at him. The boys laughed.

"Don't worry, Bells," Emmett said in a condescending voice that was meant to be loving. "The spider will be safe in here."

"Thanks," I said.

"Now," said Emmett. "Beer pong!"

"Beer pong!" Mike followed him out.

"Apes," I murmured. I noticed Edward and Jacob standing silently on opposite sides of the room, staring off at nothing. "What's wrong with you guys?" I asked. "Are you high?"

Jacob shook his head. "No," he said. "No, I'll just — I'll see you later." He started out of the room.

"Okay…" I said. "Edward!" he was following Jake without saying a word. He paused when I called him. Jacob looked over at us then left, shutting the door.

Edward turned and smiled briefly. He looked over his shoulder back at the party. "You in that much of a hurry to get away from me?" I asked sardonically. He didn't respond. I stood up. "I just wanted to tell you: I passed pre-calc! 'Cause of you!"

Edward smiled more genuinely, this time. "That's great, Bella," he said. "That's really, really great." He held out his arms like he was going to hug me, and I stepped forward to meet him half-way when I noticed the awkward twist of his arms; his palms facing upward. I stopped, the smile falling from my face, and gave him two, half-assed low-fives.

"Yeah," I said. "Thanks."

Staring at me for a moment, Edward frowned. He reached out as if to touch my face but pulled his hand away at the last second. "Couldn't sleep last night?"

I shook my head, touching the rings underneath my eyes. "No, I — After I left your place I drove out to Jake's and hung out with the tribe."

"What?"

"Yeah, I didn't get back until like, four in the morning."

"Why would you do that?" Edward asked. I could tell he was angry.

"I don't know," I said, getting defensive. "Jacob said they were having a bonfire and I wanted to go. I would have invited you but I remembered how important sleeping the night before a test is to you."

"So, you _remembered _that — and you went out anyway?"

I shrugged. "I remembered that it's important to _you _— _I _don't give a shit. Besides, it doesn't matter, Edward. I passed. It's done."

Edward ran a hand through his hair. "But you could have done better than _passing_. You could have exceeded 'average,' for once in your life."

That hurt. "What the fuck, Cullen?"

"Why can't you just listen, Bella?"

"Because you're not the boss of me!" I yelled. "I don't have to _listen _to a word you say! I don't have to _listen _to this!" Bumping purposefully into him, I marched toward the door. He reached out and grabbed my arm.

"Bella," he said, his voice softer now.

"Get your hands off me." I yanked away from him, opening the door and slamming it behind me.

Furious, I pushed through the party. The crowd was bigger now, but the living room lights were turned on and the music was turned down so everyone could actually hear and see one another. In moving toward the front door, I accidentally stepped on Jessica's toe. "Ow! What the hell, Bella?" she screeched.

"Get the fuck out of my face, Stanley," I spat back.

Behind her, I noticed Jacob standing against a wall nearby, chuckling into a new beer. After glaring at him for a second, I stomped over. "What the fuck's so funny, Black?" I demanded. "Give me that." I grabbed his beer and downed it. It was mostly full.

"Trouble in paradise?" Jacob asked.

I handed him back the empty can. "What?"

Jacob shrugged. "I _said, _'Trouble in paradise?'"

I leaned on the wall next to him, shoving him aside. "I heard what you fucking said," I told him. "It's just — what you were implying."

"What was I implying, Bella?"

Whining, I put my hands over my face. "I wish everyone would stop _saying _things like that." Jacob sighed heavily.

"You should go talk to him," he said.

"Fuck him," I replied.

"Go talk to Edward, Bella." His voice was more stern, this time.

"And say what?" I asked. I looked up at Jacob and he looked down at me and I knew what he thought I should say to Edward. That he couldn't keep telling me what to do all the time. That I loved him. That I'd been_ in _love with him since I met him when we were both eleven years old. I whined again, taking back Jake's empty can and dripping what was left on my tongue like he had done before. I wiped my mouth. "Gag me," I said.

Jacob said nothing after that. He left and came back with two more beers, one for me. This time we drank slowly, not saying a thing. That wasn't like Jake — not talking. There must have been something going on with him, too, but I was too busy thinking of myself to notice.

Growing hazier, I decided that I _would _tell Edward. He deserved to know how I felt about him. Not necessarily in a kind way on my part — I was tired of burdening all of that best-friend-unrequited-love shit on my own.

"Okay," I said, finishing the beer.

"Okay, what?" Jacob asked.

"I'm going to talk to him."

"Okay," said Jacob.

Nodding determinedly, I pushed myself off of the wall and back into the crowd. I felt nervous in a way that was nearly embarrassing as I scanned the living room, looking for him. I changed my mind. Maybe this wasn't for the best: I was never good with _feelings _and Edward sure as hell wasn't in touch with his either. And it wasn't as if anything would come from it either than an awkward senior year together; or apart, if he was so disgusted by my declaration of love that he decided he never wanted to speak to me again.

He wasn't in the living room. I checked the kitchen.

And that was worse than pretending he was just my friend for the whole year. I would have rather that then having to avoid him so I'd never have to see him ignore me — never have to watch him pretend not to see me pass by or hear me call out to him. I shuddered; the beer was getting to me.

He wasn't in the kitchen either.

But Edward would never do that and I knew it. I was just being a wuss. He was a prick sometimes but he didn't do it on purpose. He was too kind and smart and understanding to do something like _that _to me. And — actually — who was to say something good wouldn't have come from my telling him? Who was to say he didn't love me too? In fact, I was nearly sure that he did. Everyone else seemed to think so, and I — well, I could feel it. At least I thought.

I opened Emmett's bedroom door where I had left Edward before, thinking that, perhaps, he was waiting for me, or having the same turmoil as I was.

And he was in there. But he wasn't alone.

Edward laid in Emmett's bed with Kate Denali straddling him, her dress hitched up around her waist. They both looked over at me when I opened the door. Kate smirked; I couldn't read Edward's face.

I closed the door. His twin sister's best friend. I wondered how long the two of them had been hook-up buddies. Or more. Fuck buddies. I was staring at the back of the door. I touched my cheek. It was wet; I was crying.

I was stupid. How could I believe that Edward could ever think of me as anything more than a little sister? I'd been 'one of the boys' since I'd moved to Forks to live with that and before that, I didn't have anyfriends at all. I was lucky to have the boys and I was selfish to want anything more from them. It was incapable for anyone to think of my _romantically _- not when girls like Kate Denali existed. When girls like her were beautiful and graceful and I wore a shirt of my dad's and a pair capris I'd owned since the eighth grade to a party. I was so, so stupid.

I turned around and went back toward the kitchen, praying that there was still a bottle of vodka left. The party had just started.


End file.
